I Do
by Kirmon64
Summary: When Sly goes on a Paris heist and Carmelita doesn't show up, he gets worried. Could be considered SlyCarm


What to say about this one... hmm... well, it was inspired by the song "I do" by Better than Ezra. The italic sentences are the words to the song. 

Disclaimer: Sucker Punch owns all this. I'm just borrowing it for the time being :)

_

* * *

I got a little bit of reason  
__For everything I've done_

Sly Cooper ran gracefully along the rooftops, away from the scene of his crime. A sparkling sapphire was in the palm of one of his hands, while a cane was held in the other.

_I might just serenade the moonlight_

He skidded to a stop on a roof slightly higher than the rest, where he sat down on a TV antenna, expecting to either hear or see his foxy rival. If rival was the right word. But, she was nowhere to be seen.

_I get so lonely in this crowd  
__I wanna scream but make no sound_

As time passed, Sly's frown deepened and he began to pace. After half an hour of waiting, he was very worried. Carmelita should already be chasing him by now. Making an abrupt decision, he stuffed the gem into his pouch and leapt down to the streets.

_Yeah I'm lost but  
__Maybe I'll be fine  
_'_Cuz when I'm in over my head  
__I hear the words you said_

A few blocks away, he found a payphone. Hesitating for only a second, he dialed Carmelita's number. He'd known it for a few years, and had made a point to always call on Christmas and her birthday, even when he knew she was out of town. The phone on the other end began to ring.

_Someone out there's  
__Listening to the same song  
__Feelin' the same way that I do  
__Make me a believer,  
__Pick up the receiver  
__Tell me you feel just like I do  
__I do_

The answering machine picked up. "Hi, I'm not home right now, but leave a message and I'll call you back." Sly frowned again. Normally, Carmelita would pick up the phone.

"Carm?" he asked, fully expecting the fox to pick up and start ranting at him. But there was nothing. Now, he was becoming anxious. What was wrong? "Hey, if you don't pick up, I'm going to go to your office and steal everything in it." Still no response. With a sigh, the raccoon hung up the phone. There was only one more thing to do. And that was to visit her apartment directly.

_And I couldn't bear  
__To see you walk out  
__And leave it all behind  
__I couldn't bare to see the sunlight_

A few minutes later, Sly was on the roof directly across from her house. There was only one light on - the living room one - and the curtains were partway drawn. He thought for a moment, trying to decide whether or not he should bother her. Two things made up his mind: one, he knew he would never sleep wondering what was going on, and two, it began to rain. Hard.

_And I love the sound of raindrops hittin'  
__Your window, beckoning me in_

The raccoon got a running start, than leapt and opened his paraglider, managing to land safely on the windowsill. Quietly, he picked its lock and slipped inside. Carefully he picked his way across the room, jumping when the floor creaked a few times. He kept expecting Carmelita to leap out of one place or another, shock pistol blazing. Sly's fears, however, were unfounded. On the couch, underneath a thick blanket, lay Carmelita. She was shivering. Still being as quiet as possible, Sly crept up to her sleeping form and brushed a stray lock of black hair away from her forehead. She was sweating.

_Yeah I'm mad but overcome with joy_

Tearing his gaze away from her, Sly looked around the room. On the table beside the couch there was a half-empty box of kleenex and a plastic bag filled with used ones. There was a bottle of cough syrup on the counter, and a used spoon beside that. The raccoon smiled wryly.

Carmelita Fox had caught a cold.

_Couldn't be so damn naive  
__To hope you could agree_

And a particularly nasty one, by the looks of it. Maybe even a strain of the flu. Sly rose from his crouched position and laid his cane on the ground beside the couch, then proceeded to clean the room. After that was done, he brought a pillow and a more comfortable blanket from her bedroom, hoping she wouldn't mind. Carefully, trying not to wake her, he got the pillow under her head and pulled off the blanket. She was still wearing her usual clothes... she must've come home sick sometime during the day.

_Someone out there's  
__Listening to the same song  
__Feelin' the same way that I do  
__Make me a believer,  
__Pick up the receiver  
__Tell me you feel just like I do  
__I do_

The raccoon bit his lip, attempting to decide whether or not to change those too. She would certainly be much more comfortable in a t-shirt and sweatpants, but if she woke up while he was changing her clothes... She'd freak out at him for sure. So, he gingerly took off her jacket and loosened her belt, but that was all.

Next, he searched the house for a thermometer. Eventually, he found one and returned to the vixen, where he put it gently into her mouth and waited. 102.8 degrees. Not bad enough to take her to the hospital, but bad enough that she needed to be watched.

_In a world that's cellophane  
__You get so lost  
__I know you do  
__In a world that's cellophane_

Sly thought for a moment, then turned to go. His tail, however, seemed to be caught in something. When he looked backwards, he grinned. Carmelita had somehow grabbed his tail and was holding it firmly against her body. Gently, he tried to pull it out, but the sick fox only tightened her grip. "I like the show of affection Carm," he said out loud, "But I really need my tail back." He tried to pull it out again, not-so-gently this time, and she let go. Sly shook his head in amusement and moved over to the window. The rain was letting up. He glanced back at the vixen on the couch and smiled. "I'll be back soon. I just have to do a few things, okay?" there was no reply, as he had expected.

The raccoon opened the window, slid out, and disappeared into the night.

_Two hours later..._

Carmelita awoke to see Sly sitting in a chair across from the couch. He had a magazine in his lap and an mp3 player hanging from his neck. He obviously liked whatever it was that he was listening to, because he was bobbing his head to the tune and singing along softly.

_Someone out there's  
__Listening to the same song  
__Feelin' the same way that I do  
__Make me a believer,  
__Pick up the receiver  
__Tell me you feel just like I do  
__I do_

She was speechless for a few seconds, then sputtered, "Ringtail!"

Sly looked up from the magazine he'd been flipping through and smiled at her. "Ah, Carmelita, I see you're awake."

The vixen tried to push herself up into a sitting position, but lied down again when a wave of nausea overtook her. "What are you doing here?" she half snarled.

Sly raised an eyebrow. "You're sick, Carm. With that flu that's been going around, more than likely."

Carmelita was silent. After a few seconds, she tried to stand up. This time, Sly moved over to her. She glared at him. The raccoon only grinned and took her arm to help her stand up. Grudgingly, she accepted his assistance and he helped her to the bathroom. Discreetly, he looked away when they reached the door. "Call me if you need anything." he said, still looking away. Carmelita stared for a few moments, then went into the room, closing the door behind her.

It was a few minutes later that the raccoon heard a weak cry. "...Sly..."

In a trice the door was open. "I'm here, Carm." the vixen was curled up against the wall, shivering violently. Gently, he lifted her up and carried her back to the couch. She fell asleep again.

Holding his tail in a death grip.

_Someone out there's  
__Listening to the same song  
__Feelin' the same way that I do  
__Make me a believer,  
__Pick up the receiver  
__Tell me you feel just like I do  
__I do_


End file.
